Who Can Rent:
Students who have completed our core curriculum in letterpress printing or have attended a supervised Open Studios session and have been certified by the Studio Monitor are eligible to rent press time. Students who have taken Beginning Bookbinding (or equivalent class) are qualified to rent equipment in the bindery. You may also be certified to rent facilities by completing an examination with the Studio Manager. To be certified to use the guillotine or electric cutter, you must schedule a training time with SFCB staff. Requests for a certification examination or for a special piece of equipment can be made to info@sfcb.org as well.

Studio Rental Policies:

You must book in advance by calling 415-565-0545 or emailing info@sfcb.org. If you have not received a confirmation via phone or email, you do not have studio time reserved. Time can only be booked by an SFCB staff member.

When you arrive for your studio rental, you must check in with the front desk and check out when you leave.

SFCB's studios are a community space where respect and accountability are of the utmost importance. You are responsible for leaving the space cleaner than you found it and reporting any equipment issues in writing. You can email info@sfcb.org, write the issue on the designated clipboard outside the second administrative office, or speak directly to your Open Print Studio instructor about the issue.

For safety and maintenance reasons, it is very important that you only use equipment you have been thoroughly trained to use.

Guests and visitors must sign a waiver and are not allowed to touch any of the equipment or assist with cleaning the equipment.

The studio can be a busy place, so please assume that your time slot only lasts for the exact rental period: 10:00am-5:00pm or 5:00pm-10:00pm. These time slots include set-up and clean up!

SFCB requests 24 hour advance cancellation notice

Press rental fees start when you physically begin using the press (inking the press or locking up the press bed), and continue until the press is cleaned and covered. We recommend mixing inks and cutting paper before you lock up the press bed to not incur press rental fees before you are ready to print. When you are ready to use the press, check in with the front desk to record your time. Total hours used must be recorded on the Studio Rental forms by an SFCB staff member. Once you start using the press, it is your responsiblity. Report any issues with the press immediately. You cannot allow anyone other than an SFCB staff member to assist you with press set up, printing or clean up.

Equipment available for rental at the San Francisco Center for the Book
Three table top paper cutters (also called a Kuttrimmer)
31" guillotine paper cutter
Three board shears
Six Vandercook proof presses
Two C&P floor model 10” x15”
Four 6” x10” hand platen presses
Two etching presses
A polymer platemaker
Many cases of wood and metal hand type, and all the usual equipment you expect to find in a letterpress printshop and hand bindery.